Industrial Cathedral

Industrial Cathedral
"Industrial Cathedral" charcoal on paper 131 x 131 cm Jane Bennett. Finalist in 1998 Dobell Drawing Prize Art Gallery of NSW Finalist 1998 Blake Prize Winner 1998 Hunter's Hill Open Art Prize

About Me

My photo
Sydney, NSW, Australia
I'm an Industrial Heritage Artist who paints "en plein air".If it's damaged, derelict, doomed and about to disappear, I'll be there to paint it.
Showing posts with label James Craig. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Craig. Show all posts

Thursday 20 June 2013

Painters and dockers - Artist in Residence on the tall ship 'James Craig' Part 2


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Starting my plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
I had originally stored my paints, brushes, canvases, table, chair and easel in the deckhouse of the James Craig, but I realised that the ritual of unlocking and sorting through all my stuff wasted too much time. Now I keep the half-finished canvases on the 'tween deck of the James Craig, and leave the table and easel in a corner on the floor of the dry dock.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"

It's quite a hike down from the ship to the floor of the dry dock.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"

I choose a position where the ship looms toward me between the walls of the dry dock.
Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of "Painters with 'James Craig '
in Garden Island dry dock"

I try to make sure that I have enough room for the mast, rigging and the dockyard crane overhead.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm

I knew that it would be overcast and so prepared a few canvases with a black imprimatura (underpainting). I find that this gives the clouds a more 3 dimensional quality.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

Portrait of the artist in full PPE (personal protective equipment) regalia.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Artist Jane Bennett with her unfinished plein air painting
of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

Hard hat, hi res jacket, tinted safety glasses, earmuffs and metal capped boots.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

There is another tall ship, the HMB Endeavour, in the dry dock, but I can't get too close to her as she is being sandblasted back to her original wood and can barely be seen in the dust haze.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

The dark bulk of the 'James Craig' stands out dramatically in front of the threatening clouds.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available

I was worried that it was going to rain. It's risky starting such a large canvas as it takes so many trips back up to the top. The dockyard steps are narrow and a wet canvas has to be carried on its own without other luggage.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett.
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available
Suddenly I realized that I wasn't the only painter on the dock floor, as 2 white clad men started to haphazardly spray patches of red on the prow of James Craig.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
Unfinished plein air painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available  

They cheekily "offer" to pose for me. They don't actually mean it, but I paint them in anyway.
Their figures provide a useful gauge to judge scale. This painterly device is known as "staffage" - the size of the figures can be compared and contrasted with the size of the ship
Tim Drinkwater, the dockyard manager of the Sydney Heritage Fleet, told me that the painters would only be there for 8 minutes, but that was long enough for me to block in the basic shapes.
The painters came up later to take photos of my painting of them.
They will be back to finish their painting on Tuesday.
I like the patchy 'work in progress' look of the hull, so I'll try to finish my painting before theirs.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 
This canvas is in a 'portrait' format - vertical rather than the more usual horizontal one, which is unusual for a painting of a ship.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 

I wanted the ship to dominate the canvas and used the extreme perspective to make it feel as though it is towering over the onlooker, and the prow almost poke you in the eye.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 

I am quite short, so I have to fold the legs of the easel up and set it on the ground as I'm not tall enough to paint the masts and rigging with it in the ordinary position.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
Available 

At least this way it won't fall over in the wind.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of 'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm
Available 
They keep moving the dockyard crane. Any further to the left and it will be out of the picture. I can only just manage to squeeze it in without it looking too cramped.


Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock" 2013
oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available 

I like the final position of the crane, though, as it won't be obscured by the masts and rigging. It gives the composition a little more drama, as it looks as though it could topple into the dock with a gust of wind.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My half - finished painting of
"Painters with 'James Craig ' in Garden Island dry dock"
2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available 

The end of my first full day painting on the floor of the dry dock - time to lug my easel, paint, chair, paints, brushes and large wet canvases all the way up the stairs of the dock and across the gangplank to my studio on the 'tweendeck of the James Craig. It's a long way up and takes several trips so I won't need to join a gym anytime soon.

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My studio on the 'tween deck of the 'James Craig'
World's coolest studio!
 
Available

Plein air oil painting of tall ship James Craig in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'James Craig in drydock being painted'
2013 oil on canvas 100 x 75cm

Available






Plein air oil painting of tall ships James Craig and HMB Endeavour in Garden Island Drydock painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
'James Craig and HMB Endeavour in drydock 2'
2013 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm
Available


 
































Related posts

Australia Day 2011 at Darling Harbour Part 1: Endeavour

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Artist in Residence on the tall ship James Craig Part 1- Sailing to Garden Island

I packed before dawn so that I could hitch a ride with Sydney Heritage Fleet's Tall Ship James Craig on its way from its usual berth at Wharf 7, Pyrmont to the dry dock at Garden Island.
Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug
'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I painted a few small, quick gouache studies of the tall ship and tug on board, just to warm my hands up.

Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug
'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I will be 'Artist in Residence' at the Garden Island dry dock painting two tall ships, the 'HMB Endeavour' replica and the 'James Craig'.
They will be getting their undersides ship shape in preparation for the International Fleet Review in October.

Plein air small gouache study of the Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing' alongside the 'James Craig'  painted by industrial heritage artist Jane Bennett
My small gouache study of the
Sydney Heritage Fleet's tug 'Bronzewing'
alongside the 'James Craig'
Available

I have stashed my easel, paints, brushes and lots of spare canvases in the deckhouse of the 'James Craig' which will be my studio until its departure from Garden Island on or about 15th June.


Related posts

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 6 - 'Hail, hail, the gang's all here!'
Painting the Spirit of Tasmania in Garden Island Drydock
Painters and dockers - Artist in Residence on the tall ship 'James Craig' Part 2

Monday 22 April 2013

Artist in Residence at the Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 6 - 'Hail, hail, the gang's all here!'

I've finally finished painting this monster.
It literally nearly killed me.
My first attempt to paint the entire Rozelle contingent of the Sydney Heritage Fleet ended in disaster .
My canvas stretcher had snapped in two after it was caught by a gust of wind. I fell into the murky waters of Blackwattle Bay and was lucky not to be seriously injured.
This tested the limits of the possibilities of plein air painting.

plein air oil painting by Marine Artist Jane Bennett of Sydney Heritage Fleet at Rozelle'
First version of SHF6 'Sydney Heritage Fleet at Rozelle' 2013 
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm



















But all the time and trouble has been worth it.
The entire collection of Sydney Heritage Fleet vessels is here in all its glory, and more details are visible in this canvas than are possible to see from the park opposite Blackwattle Bay.
plein air oil painting by Marine Artist Jane Bennett of Sydney Heritage Fleet at Rozelle'
SHF6 'Sydney Heritage Fleet at Rozelle' 2013 
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm
















At 122 x 183cm, this canvas is even larger than the first!
I completed about 80% of it from the park, but to unscramble the confusing mass of masts, ropes and rigging, I had to paint the finishing touches from the Rozelle headquarters of the Sydney Heritage Fleet itself.
I am a member of ASMA, the Australian Society of Marine Artists.
In 2008 the Sydney Heritage Fleet in conjunction with the Australian Society of Marine Artists inaugurated an Artist in Residence programme, with the commission from sale of paintings going towards funding the Fleet's maintenance.
Our group of 10 artists will hold an exhibition of our completed paintings on the 'tween decks of the tall ship 'James Craig', which is the jewel in the crown of the Sydney Heritage Fleet, from 27th April 2013 - 3rd May 2013.
As well as this enormous canvas, I will exhibit 16 other paintings. Some of these were painted at the Rozelle headquarters, some from the Noakes slipways, others from the Australian National Maritime Museum and others from vantage points around Sydney Harbour.
The official opening will be 2pm on Saturday 27th April by Tanya Plibersek MP.
Everyone is welcome!

Related posts

Monday 22 October 2012

2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Show at the Australian National Maritime Museum

Exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum by the Australian Society of Marine Artists

I chose these 3 paintings to display in the exhibition by the Australian Society of Marine Artists in the Tasman Light Room at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
The exhibition was part of the 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival from Friday 12th October - Wednesday 17th October 2012.

oil painting of Walsh Bay Wharves by artist Jane Bennett
"Demolition of Wharf 6/7, Walsh Bay Wharves” 2001  
oil on canvas 61 x 102cm















Enquiries about this painting :

                         
I had painted the demolition of the almost derelict structures of Wharf 6/7, Walsh Bay Wharves from the interior of Wharf 8/9 in 2001. This wharf was later replaced by apartments designed to imitate the genuine wharves. 

oil painting of notorious cargo ship 'Tampa' at Barangaroo by artist Jane Bennett
"The last call of the ‘Tampa’ ”
2007 oil on canvas 31 x 103cm
Enquiries about this painting :

                              
I had been “Artist in Residence” at the Hungry Mile during its last days of port operations.The notorious “Tampa” was the last Ro-ro ( roll on roll off car ship) to berth at the Hungry Mile wharves, now known as “Barangaroo” in late October 2007, marking the effective end of Sydney as a working harbour.

oil painting of controversial ex-HMAS Adelaide' with Anzac Bridge at Glebe Island Wharves by artist Jane Bennett
”Ex-HMAS Adelaide at Glebe Island Wharf” 
2009 oil on canvas  46 x 92cm
Enquiries about this painting :

                         
I had painted the entire saga of ex HMAS Adelaide from her arrival at Glebe Island Wharf in September 2009 to her scuttling off  the Central Coast on Wednesday April 13th 2011. 
Her interior was stripped to prepare for her reinvention as a dive wreck but this was stopped at literally the last minute by a controversial court case. The ship had to undergo more stringent preparations for another year, until the dawn of April 11th 2011 when she made her last journey to her final resting spot off North Avoca.  

Artist in Residence at the Australian National Maritime Museum


plein air oil painting of Krait by artist Jane Bennett at 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival at Australian National Maritime Museum
Painting the 'Krait' at the 2012
Classic and Wooden Boat Festival
Australian National Maritime Museum.
Oil on canvas 28 x 36cm




 
















I also spent Saturday 13th October and Sunday 14th October next to HMAS Vampire as Artist in Residence giving a demonstration of plein air painting.
In this photo I am starting a small canvas of the 1934 fishing trawler,  Krait, which led a heroic double life during World War II.
In 1941, Krait was used to evacuate people from Singapore to Sumatra during the Japanese advance. Perfectly disguised as a local fishing vessel, in the 1943 Operation Jaywick she was boldly sailed into Japanese-occupied waters with a team of Z Special Unit commandos whose mines blew up and severely damaged 7 enemy ships in Singapore harbour. After the war, Krait worked in the Borneo timber trade, until  two Australians on a business trip recognized her in 1962. Krait then returned to Australia to a hero's welcome, a testament to Australian sacrifice during war.

plein air oil painting of wooden boat by artist Jane Bennett at 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival at Australian National Maritime Museum
Painting the 'Winnie Too' at the
2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival
Australian National Maritime Museum.
Oil on canvas 51 x 61cm
Enquiries about this painting :






















Later in the day, as a contrast to the stark black hull of Krait, I painted Winnie Too one of the dozens of charming smaller wooden boats on display.
exhibition of oil paintings of tall ships and Pyrmont  by artist Jane Bennett at 2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival at Australian National Maritime Museum
My outdoor exhibition at the
2012 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival
Australian National Maritime Museum.




















As there was a handy awning to protect them from the wind and sun I was able to present an outdoor display of some of my other canvases of vessels from the Sydney Heritage Fleet and the Australian National Maritime Museum. The canvases on the easel are of the tall ships James Craig and HMV Endeavour, and the light ship Carpentaria. The smaller works hung from the railings are some of my early Pyrmont paintings, which date from the era before the building of the Australian National Maritime Museum.